Apparatus for continuously pasteurizing meat and food products

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for continuously pasteurizing meat and food products, characterized in that said apparatus comprises: a supporting framework supporting a top basin and bottom basin, both substantially longitudinally horizontally extending, and arranged one above the other, the top basin being supplied with hot water and the bottom basin being supplied with cold water; feeding means for feeding the products through the top basin; transfer means for transferring the products from the top basin to the bottom basin; means for varying the product holding time in the top basin; further feeding means for feeding the products through the bottom basin and withdrawing means for withdrawing the products from the bottom basin; and means for changing the product holding time, in a selective manner, at least in the bottom basin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for deeply continuouslypasteurizing meat and food products, packaged with a variable holdingtime, which apparatus can be used, for example, for pasteurizing sausageproducts, such as würstels (mortadellas), cooked jam portions,“raviolis” or “tortellinis” in trays and so on.

As is known, in pasteurizing food products, in particular meat products,the holding time during which these products are held at thepasteurizing temperature, and the cooling time, after the heating of theproducts, are basilar parameters.

Moreover, as it is desired to carry out a depth pasteurizing, i.e. apasteurizing also extending to the inside of the food product to beprocessed, it is necessary to use, at present, large size pasteurizingsystems.

In the latter, product cooling basins must have a great length, asconveyor belts driven with a constant speed are used.

In the above mentioned applications, the cooling basins must have alength of two-four times the length of the provided heating basins, toprovide a depth pasteurizing, also involving the inside of the middleand large size meat products.

If the above mentioned parameters are not perfectly controlled, then itis not possible to provide satisfactory results in preserving the foodproducts processed by the above mentioned technique.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide such anapparatus for pasteurizing food products, allowing to change andcontrol, with a great precision, both the holding time in which the foodproducts are held at the pasteurizing temperature, and the followingcooling time of the pasteurized products.

Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of thepresent invention is to provide such an apparatus which allows to carryout a depth pasteurizing, and which has a small size construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatuswhich is adapted to simultaneously process sever types of products, soas to suitably separate product batches in several sectors of thecooling basin.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such anapparatus which is very reliable and safe in operation.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentionedaim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become moreapparent hereinafter, are achieved by an apparatus for continuouslypasteurizing food products, characterized in that said apparatuscomprises: a supporting framework supporting a top basin and a bottombasin, both said top and bottom basins substantially longitudinallyhorizontally extending and being arranged one above the other, said topbasin being supplied with hot water and said bottom basin being suppliedwith cold water; feeding means for feeding the products through the topbasin; transfer means for transferring the products from the top basinto the bottom basin; product holding time changing means for changingthe product holding time in the top basin; further feeding means forfeeding the products through the bottom basin and product withdrawingmeans for withdrawing the products from the bottom basin; and furtherholding time changing means for changing the product holding means, in aselective manner, at least in the bottom basin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosureof a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of the invention whichis illustrated, by way of an indicative, but not limitative example, inthe accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1A is a broken-away and side elevation view illustrating one end ofthe overall apparatus for pasteurizing food products according to thepresent invention and FIG. 1B is a broken-away and side elevation viewillustrating opposite end of the overall apparatus for pasteurizing foodproducts according to the present invention that is shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pasteurizing apparatus accordingto the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan partial view of the bottom basin of thepasteurizing apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view illustrating, in details, the producttransfer region for transferring the food product from the top basin tothe bottom basin;

FIG. 5 is a partial top plan view illustrating, in details, the gateelements for separating different product batches;

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevation cross-sectional view illustrating adetail of a gate element for changing the product batches to bepasteurized and cooled;

FIG. 7 is a further side elevation partial view of the cooling sectionof the apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a partial, cross-sectional view, illustrating a side portionof a track arrangement of the pasteurizing section; and

FIG. 9 is a further partial cross-sectional view illustrating a sideportion of a track arrangement of the cooling section of thepasteurizing apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures,the pasteurizing apparatus for pasteurizing, also in a depth manner,food products, and in particular meat products, according to theinvention, which has been generally indicated by the reference number 1,comprises a supporting framework 2, which can be made, for example, ofmetal components, and supporting a top basin 3 and a bottom basin 4,which substantially longitudinally horizontally extend, and beingarranged one above the other so as to substantially reduce the overallsize of the pasteurizing apparatus.

The top basin 3 is supplied with hot water at a temperature suitable forpasteurizing the product fed into said top basin 3.

To that end, the top basin 3 comprises top manifolds 32, designed forspraying hot water on the food product being fed on the conveyor 9,which will be disclosed in a more detailed manner hereinafter.

The bottom basin 4, in turn, is supplied with cold water, at atemperature which can vary from 0.5° C. to 10° C., thereby cooling thepasteurized products.

The bottom basin 4 comprises moreover, as shown, a plurality of topmanifolds 33 designed for spraying cold water on the product being fedthrough the bottom basin 4, as it will be disclosed in a more detailedmanner hereinafter.

The pasteurizing apparatus according to the invention comprises moreoverfeeding means 5 for feeding the food products to be pasteurized into thetop basin 3, further feeding means 6 for feeding the products throughthe top basin 3 and for transferring said products from the top basin 3to the bottom basin 4, and yet further feeding means for feeding theproducts through the bottom basin 4, as well as withdrawing means 7 forwithdrawing the products from the bottom basin 4.

More specifically, the means 5 for feeding the products into the topbasin 3 comprise a conveyor belt 8, or a plurality of conveyor belts, inthis case two conveyor belts.

Said conveyor belts have their outlets arranged at a longitudinal endportion of the top basin 3, located on the right side, in thepasteurizing arrangement shown in FIG. 1.

The feeding means 6 for feeding the food products through the top basin3 comprise a conveyor, for example a chain conveyor 9, including aplurality of chains entrained on pinions 10, 11, 12 and 13, havinghorizontal axes, which are supported by the supporting framework 2 andwhich, at least in part are driven so as to entrain the conveyor alongthe longitudinal extension of the top basin 3.

The driving of the conveyor is provided by a chain transmission 26,coupling the shaft of the pinion 11 to a driving motor 27.

The conveyor 9 comprises, along its extension, separating walls 14,which are spaced from one another and engage with the products to bepasteurized supplied into the top basin 3, for feeding said productsalong the longitudinal extension of said top basin 3.

The conveyor 9 extends from a longitudinal end portion to the otherlongitudinal end portion of the top basin 3.

At the longitudinal end portion of the top basin 3 opposite to thelongitudinal end portion thereof served by the conveyor belt 8, thelatter extends with a inclined portion 15, by means of which the foodproducts are transferred from the top basin 3 to the bottom basin 4.

The return branch of the conveyor 9 extends between the top basin 3 andbottom basin 4.

The feeding means for feeding the food products through the bottom basin4 comprise panels 16, which are traversed by a plurality of elongatedslots or holes 17.

Said panels are arranged parallel to the bottom of the bottom basin 4and are supported by supporting arms 18, which can be controllablyswingably driven about horizontal axes, thereby displacing said panels16 from the bottom of the bottom basin 4 upward and with a componentparallel to the longitudinal extension of the bottom basin 4.

Thus, the products arranged in the bottom basin 4 are caused to be fed,with different and adjustable speeds, from the longitudinal end portionof said basin, arranged at the passage region of the products from thetop basin 3 to the bottom basin 4, in the direction of the oppositelongitudinal end portion thereof.

The swinging movement of said panels 16 is obtained by swinging pistons28 each of which has an end portion thereof coupled to the body of thebottom basin 4 and the other end portion coupled to a bracket element 29rigid with said panels 16.

Advantageously, the panels 16 of the bottom basin 4, i.e. the coolingbasin, can be divided into sectors, for separating different foodproduct batches or lots.

This separation can be performed by a plurality of movable gate elementsor walls, each indicated by the reference number 30 and driven by arespective pneumatic piston 31, thereby allowing said movable gateelements to be raised in order to allow a selected product batch to bepassed therethrough, and lowered, in order to restrain another productbatch or lot, so as to prevent the latter from being fed, and, viceversa, allowing the feeding of the product batches not locked by thegate elements.

By suitably driving the separating walls or gate elements 30, it isaccordingly possible to choose or sort the product batches to be fed orto be put in a standby condition, according to the cooling degreeprovided for each batch or lot.

The feeding means for feeding the products through the bottom basin 4also comprises a plurality of nozzles 19 which are supplied withpressurized water.

Said nozzles 19 are so oriented as to cause the products arranged in thebottom basin 4 and affected by the jets provided by said nozzles 19 tobe fed toward the longitudinal end portion of the bottom basin 4,arranged on the opposite portion, with respect to the passage region ofthe products from the top basin 3 to the bottom basin 4.

The withdrawing means 7, for withdrawing the food products from thebottom basin 4 comprise a conveyor belt 20, designed for receiving thefood products coming from the bottom basin 4, and for discharging saidfood products into a distributing or dispensing device 34, designed forleveling the products before discharging them.

The distributing device comprises, in particular, an inclined conveyorbelt 35 designed for bringing the products inside a blowing tunnel 36,including a plurality of blowing devices and rotary brushes, affectingthe products to level them and evenly distributing said products on theconveyor belt 35.

Both said top 3 and bottom 4 basins comprise a covering arrangement,respectively indicated by the reference number 22 and 23, withinspection doors, indicated respectively by 24 and 25, located along theextension of the basins.

The pasteurizing apparatus according to the present invention operatesin the following manner.

The packaged products to be pasteurized are fed, through the conveyorbelt 8, into the top basin 3 where, by contacting the hot water in saidbasin, are brought to a temperature suitable to provide the desiredpasteurizing.

The products are driven along or through the extension of the top basin3 by the separating walls 14 of the conveyor 19 to be transferred,through the inclined portion 15, from the top basin 3 to the bottombasin 4.

In said bottom basin 3 which, as stated, holds therein cold water, thefood products, as they are fed through said basin, by swingably drivingthe panel 16 and under the effect of the water jets supplied by thenozzles 19, are progressively cooled.

The swinging panels 16, in particular, feed said food products with aso-called “pilgrim step by step arrangements”.

By suitably changing the driving speed of the swinging panels 16, andthe power of the water jets supplied by the nozzles 19 and the drivingspeed of the conveyor belt 20, it is possible to change the holding timeduring which the products are held in the bottom basin 4, therebyfitting said holding time to the different products being pasteurized,thereby preventing any bacteric growth from occurring.

Advantageously, according to the present invention, the bottom basin canbe divided into sectors, by the movable walls 30, thereby changing thespeed therewith the individual product lots are caused to be fed throughsaid basin, and varying consequently the cooling time of said products.

Thus, it is possible, during a same pasteurizing process, to optimizethe cooling time for each product.

The products are withdrawn from the bottom basin 4 and, after havingpassed through the distributing device, they are sent to followingprocessing lines.

It has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim andobjects.

In fact, the pasteurizing apparatus according to the present inventionallows to change and control with a very high accuracy both the holdingtime during which the products are held to the pasteurizing temperature,and the cooling time of the pasteurized products.

The apparatus according to the present invention is specificallysuitable to process comparatively high product amounts or flow-rates, upto 7000 kg/h.

Moreover, the capability of simultaneously processing differentproducts, greatly increases the processing rate or yield of theapparatus.

The devices used in said apparatus, which comprise the top nozzles forspraying water on the products and pressurized water jets into saidbasins, allow to perform the pasteurizing and cooling up to the “core”of the product.

The orienting and inlet direction into the loading region can be easilychanged depending on the contingent requirements.

The pasteurizing tracks, in particular, can have both a symmetrical andan asymmetrical arrangement.

It should be apparent that the number of the pasteurizing tracks can bechanged from one to two or more tracks, while the shown embodimentillustrates two asymmetrical parallel tracks for each pasteurizingsection and for each cooling section.

The apparatus according to the present invention is designed as a singleoperating block, though it is possible to include therein a plurality ofpasteurizing track, thereby allowing to provide a number of differentpasteurizing or processing lines.

In practicing the invention, the used materials, as well as the size ofthe parts constituting the apparatus, can be any, depending onrequirements and the status of the art.

1. An apparatus for continuously pasteurizing food products, saidapparatus comprising: a supporting framework supporting a top basin anda bottom basin, both said top a bottom basins being substantiallylongitudinally horizontally extended and arranged one above the other,said top basin being supplied with hot pasteurizing water and saidbottom basin being supplied with cold water; feeding means for feedingsaid food products through the top basin; transfer means fortransferring said food products from the top basin to the bottom basin;further feeding means for feeding said food products through the bottombasin and product withdrawing means for withdrawing said food productsfrom the bottom basin; wherein said apparatus further comprises firstproduct holding time changing means for changing a product holding timein said top basin; and second holding time changing means forselectively changing a product holding time in said bottom basin, saidtop basin comprising top basin top manifolds adapted to spray hot wateron said products in said top basin, said bottom basin comprising bottombasin top manifolds adapted to spray cold water on the products in saidbottom basin, and wherein said feeding means for feeding said productsthrough said bottom basin comprise a plurality of panels traversed by aplurality of elongated slots, arranged parallel to a bottom of thebottom basin, said panels being supported by swinging arms which can becontrollably oscillated about horizontal axes, thereby driving saidpanels from bottom of the bottom basin upward and with a movementcomponent parallel to a longitudinal extension of said bottom basin,thereby causing said products, arranged in said bottom basin, to be fedfrom the longitudinal end portion of said bottom basin arranged at apassage region of said products from said top basin to said bottombasin, in the direction of the opposite longitudinal end portion.
 2. Anapparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said cold water supplied tosaid bottom basin has a temperature from 0.5° C. to 10° C.
 3. Anapparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said feeding means for feedingsaid products into said top basin comprise a conveyor belt, or aplurality of conveyor belts, each said conveyor belt having an outletthereof arranged a longitudinal end portion of said top basin.
 4. Anapparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said feeding means for feedingsaid products through said top basin comprise a chain conveyor, thechains thereof are entrained on horizontal axis pinions, supported bysaid supporting framework and which, at least in part, are motor driventhereby entraining said conveyor through a longitudinal extension ofsaid top basin.
 5. An apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein saidconveyor is driven by a chain transmission coupling the shaft of adriven pinion of said conveyor to a driving motor.
 6. An apparatus,according to claim 3, wherein said conveyor comprises spaced gateelements engaging with said food products be pasteurized supplied intosaid top basin.
 7. An apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein saidconvey extends from a longitudinal end portion to the other longitudinalend portion of said top basin and, at said longitudinal end portion ofsaid top basin opposite to the longitudinal end portion thereof servedby said conveyor belt, extends for an inclined portion, through whichsaid food products are transferred from said top basin to said bottombasin.
 8. An apparatus, according to claim 1, therein said panels areswingably driven by swinging pistons each of which has an end portionfixed to said supporting framework and the other end portion thereofrigid with said panels.
 9. An apparatus, according to claim 1, whereinsaid panels of said cooling bottom basin are divided into sectors forsorting different batches of products.
 10. An apparatus, according toclaim 9, wherein said sectors in said bottom basin are defined by aplurality of movable gate elements, each of which is driven by anactuator, thereby said gate elements can be raised to feed a selectedproduct batch, and lowered to restrain another product batch to preventthe latter from being fed, and, vice versa, allowing a feeding ofproduct batches not locked by said gate elements.
 11. An apparatus,according to claim 1, wherein said feeding means for feeding saidproducts through said bottom basin further comprise a plurality of waternozzles supplied with pressurized water and so oriented as to cause saidproducts to be fed toward the longitudinal end portion of the bottombasin, arranged at the portion opposite to a product passage region fromthe top basin to the bottom basin.
 12. An apparatus, according to claim1, wherein said product withdrawing means for withdrawing said productsfrom bottom basin comprise a conveyor belt, designed or receiving theproducts coming from the bottom basin, and discharging said productsinto a distributing device for leveling said products before theunloading thereof.
 13. An apparatus, according to claim 12, wherein saiddistributing device comprises an inclined conveyor belt for bringingsaid products inside a blowing tunnel including a plurality of blowingdevices and rotary brushes affecting the products to level said productsand provide an even product distribution on said conveyor belt.
 14. Anapparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said top and bottom basinscomprise a covering arrangement, including plurality of inspectiondoors, arranged along said basins.
 15. An apparatus, according to claim1, wherein said cooling bottom basin comprises separating walls,hydraulically driven feeding devices and a swinging bottom wall allowingto restrain said products being cooled in said cooling basin for avariable holding cooling time.